The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-07-28

Inc IulaSb1 IclH.J CiIiLEN 10 tiiO
Jealous champion of the parties who
are resisting the claims of our church
to the Martin College property. In the
last issue of that paper we find the fol-
lowing paragraph:
"Apropos of the Martin College suit,
it may be interesting to state that three
of the supreme judges are Episcopa-
liaus, one a Campbeilite and one a
Presby terrain"
At first sight one would think this
very serious reflection upon the integ-
rity of the supreme court judges. 1t
seems to contain an implication that
their decision will be affected by their
church relations, and that not being
Methodists their Judgment will be adj
verse to the claim of the church in the
bending suit. This is really the idea
that the language of the editor conveys,
but he does not mean it. He simply
designs to intimidate the Methodists
who support the claim of the church by
intimating that their side of the case is
hopeless.
We wish to say in very few words
that the friends of the church need not
be alarmed. The eminent gentlemen
who occupy places on the supreme
bench are not Wethodists, but they are
honorable men, bound by their oaths
and their honor. From such men the
church has nothing to fear if she has a
good case and if the case of the church
is not good one, she cannot afford and
does not desire to win it.
The merits of the case are for the
courts to pass on. Beyond an effor: to
dicing the claim of the church through
''trial by newspaper" We have not
word to say. But we do teel called mp
on to say that when the opposition re
sorts to boycotting and bulldozing to
sustain their case they betray a con-
scous weakness. --Christian Advocate.
This is a manifest attempt to do
exactly what THE CITIZEN is charg-
ed with-to stuff the supreme
Judges. We pass over the silly
charge that we designed to intimi-
date anybody as to- ludicrous for
serious consideration. The su-
preme judges will not be biased by
their church relations because
they are not Methodists. II they
were Methodists they might be
biased because they are disciples Eof
and are pledged to the idea upon
which this SUIT is predicated-the
correctional idea. That is one of
the basic principles of Methodism
and upon that the claim to the col
Iege is predicated. The reasoning
runs thus: 1t was conveyed to the
officers Of the church in Pulaski,
but the church in Pulaski belongs
to the Tennessee Conference, there
fore the college belongs to the con-
ference. That is a Methodist prin-
ciple but not a legal principle. II
the supreme judges were Methodists
they would be committed to that
principle and 1t might bias their
| Judgment Not being Methodists,
they come to the consideration of the
case with scaleless eyes and unblas
ed minds and will apply legal pin
ciples instead Of Methodist prlnci-
pies. We did not mean all this,
however, when we penned the para
graph complained of. We simply
stated q fact and left the wise
reader t. drag his own interences.
The Advocates "effOrt to prevent
partisan writers from prejudicing
the claim of the church through
trial by newspapers" comes after its
own effort to DO that very thing. A
few weeks ago it brushed every body
else in the universe aside and in q
supercilious, Tainglorious, big ME
and little yow article, stated the
facts (?), tried the case, passed
Judgment and issued execution
And now decries newspaper trial
forsoOth.
The Christian Advocate shall OF
hide behind its sacred prerogative
to escape censure and criticism in
it's effort to aid in doing an unwar-
ranted and unchristian deed. We
have the profoundest respect ant
reverence for the church and Its
clergy, its institutions and its teach
ings, but when it goes outside of it,
call to ego we into all the worlt
preaching the gospel" and begins ;
grasping crusade upon the property
Of other people, it deserves rebuke
And now in the name of the peO-
pie of Giles county. the officers o
the church in Pulaski, the trustee
of the college and the subscribers tt
the fund that made Martin College
we accept the Advocates PROPOSE
ton thus:
"If the case of the church is not
good one, she cannot afford and does no
desire to win it,
1t can be established by hal
dozen of as honorable men as live OF
this continent, the man who wrot
,, Mr.. Martins will, the men VIII
witnessed it, his partner in business
his brothers in the church, the me,
who nursed him and held his hant
while he died, that he said an hun
dred times thai he did not iptent
to establish denominations
school. And yet the church woul
seize the property in face of TIM
fact if it can, taking advantage c
; the rule of evidence that excludes i
from the court Of construction. l
that right? Is that honest2 Th
Christian Advocate well says Ssh
= cannot afford it," The church {
God must be honest above a
! things.
Will the Christian Advocate cop
this?
A gross and MALICIOUS outrae